Training Tips

From firefighting and airshows to flight hazards and areas of security concern on the ground, temporary flight restrictions are established for a variety of reasons, and in places as diverse as remote islands and major metropolitan areas. Some TFRs can be extremely complex, requiring pilots to give them careful scrutiny. Read more...

Flight Training News

Great Lakes Airlines, a regional air carrier based in Cheyenne, Wyoming, offers part-time openings for pilots who are interested in flying for an airline but "don't want to be gone for long periods of time," said Joe Linnebur, the company's director of operations. Read more...

Get free sim time at AirVenture

Flight simulator manufacturer Frasca International will offer free simulator sessions during EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, July 25 through 31. A Cessna 172 flight training device will be located in Booth 56 in the College Park area, and volunteers will "assist new and experienced pilots on a simulated flight," the company announced July 15. New pilots will be given a free logbook "to encourage them to continue their flight training."

Worried about busting TFRs? Get tips from NORAD on working around them. Can't remember VFR weather minimums for different airspace classes? Aviation humorist and flight instructor Rod Machado solves that problem with a clever visual mnemonic. Access the AOPA Air Safety Institute's free CFI to CFI newsletter now and subscribe to receive it quarterly. Read more...

The Boeing Co. began a "100 Days of Learning" program for youngsters July 15, exactly 100 years after founder Bill Boeing rolled the first wood-and-fabric floatplane out of a Seattle boathouse. The aerospace giant "aims to inspire the next generation of aerospace visionaries" by providing free lesson plans; explanatory videos; and interactive experiments covering science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts to K-12 teachers, according to a July 15 news release. Students can unlock "the magic of flight" by going to an online "curiosity machine" that helps them learn the principles of aircraft construction, testing, and flight dynamics.

The Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals annual convention will take place Aug. 9 through 12 in Lombard, Illinois. The organization's website says the event is designed to unify, engage, and empower aviation professionals from diverse backgrounds. The aerospace conference features professional development workshops, industry speakers, networking, and a career fair intended to increase minority participation in aviation.

AOPA Live

Check out the new Eclipse jet by One Aviation in a sneak peek ahead of EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where the latest Eclipse will make its public debut. We'll brief you on what else you can look forward to at the show. Also this week, AOPA Pilot Editor at Large Dave Hirschman tests short-field takeoff procedures to separate solid technique from myth, and a California drone pilot is busted for interfering with firefighters.
Watch AOPA Live This Week®, July 21...

Plane Spotter

Smokejumping Sherpa

From jets and multiengine turboprops to piston singles, helicopters, and drones, many aircraft fulfill roles fighting wildfires. Large tankers drop thousands of gallons of retardant on a fire. Water scoopers "skim the surface of a water body and scoop water into an onboard tank and then release it on a fire," says the U.S. Forest Service's aviation website. Smokejumpers and their gear are flown to the scene by aircraft including the C-23 Sherpa, a development of the squarish-appearing, twin-tailed Shorts 330 turboprop, more typically spotted in short-haul airline service.

Training Products and Resources

King Schools launches Cessna iPad companion app

King Schools and training partner Cessna released a free iPad companion app for Cessna Pilot Centers that allows completion of lesson plans either offline or online. The King Schools Companion app tracks training progress and automatically synchronizes progress when a pilot connects online. The app is available on iTunes.

You have a plan B for changing weather. Good! But, what if you're flying on an assigned heading and altitude? Does that mean it is ATC's responsibility to deviate you around the weather? Learn what an air traffic controller has to say in the AOPA Air Safety Institute's Ask ATC: Weather Deviating video. Watch the video...

Note: Products listed have not been evaluated by ePilot editors unless otherwise noted. AOPA assumes no responsibility for products or services listed or for claims or actions by manufacturers or vendors.

Member Benefits

Stop by AOPA's campus at EAA AirVenture July 25 through 31 to join or renew your membership; learn about AOPA's products that can help make you a safer, better informed pilot; shop at the AOPA Pilot Gear Store; attend educational seminars; see the AOPA Sweepstakes 172; and have ice cream or coffee and doughnuts with AOPA President Mark Baker.
Read more ...

For many pilots, your ability to secure an aircraft loan will be based on cash-flow lending. When a lender examines your cash flow, that lender is going to examine paperwork that you supply. Which documents you supply depends on your sources of income. Learn the ins and outs...

Summer is fun, but it can cause problems for pilots beyond the usual challenge of dealing with afternoon thunderstorms. Learn how to keep yourself and your passengers cool and hydrated. Read more...

Final Exam

Question

I just noticed that my pilot certificate still shows my old address. I know I updated my address with the FAA when I moved. Does it matter that my certificate still has the old address?

Answer

First, congratulations on meeting the requirement of 14 CFR 61.60, which requires all pilots to notify the FAA within 30 days of a change in their permanent mailing address. This regulation is sometimes overlooked by pilots who don't realize they can't exercise the privileges of their certificate until they have informed the FAA in writing of their address change. The fact that your certificate still has your old address does not matter as long as the FAA's Airmen Certification Branch has your current information. For more information, see AOPA Online. A new certificate will be issued only if you request one. You can request a new certificate by completing Form 8060-56: Application for Replacement of Lost, Destroyed, or Paper Airman Certificate(s) or by using the FAA's Airmen On-Line Services system.

Did you know that student pilots who join AOPA are three times more likely to complete their flight training? Membership includes unlimited access to aviation information by phone (800/USA-AOPA, weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern time) or from AOPA Online. Got a question for our technical services staff? Contact AOPA.

Career Opportunities

Ever dream of turning your passion for aviation into a career? AOPA is looking for a pilot community development coordinator, Central Southwest regional manager, graphic designer, administrative coordinator, New York You Can Fly ambassador, aviation technical specialist, fundraising specialist, government affairs federal and state vice president, Great Lakes regional manager, communications director, donor relations director, and AOPA Foundation communications director. To learn more about these and other AOPA career opportunities, visit AOPA Online.

Rusty Pilots Seminars

Aviation Calendar

Want something to do this weekend? Planning an aviation getaway? See AOPA's enhanced calendar of events. You can filter events by date range, airport ID, state, or region. Before you take off on an adventure, make sure you check our current aviation weather provided by Jeppesen.